This may or may not be a problem. Any advice?

EllaPaigeNora

Alright, this may not seem like a huge problem but it's starting to cause me some concern. I made a plan almost a year ago to lose weight. I started by exercising a lot more and cutting my calories to about 1500. However, after months of this regimen I only maintained my weight (I realized later it's because I ate back the calories I lost in junk foods). So, I decided to drastically reduce my calories even more so, to about 800 a day. Now, I know that's unhealthy unless you're morbidly obese (which I wasn't. I was 5'3 and weighed 148 pounds) but I really didn't understand why I couldn't lose weight so I tried the 800 calorie plan. Many people think that it's really difficult, and while I will admit I didn't have much energy with it, it wasn't that bad. I simply replaced a lot of my foods with fruits and veggies, ate my biggest meal earlier in the day, and kept some of my favorite foods to stay sane (granola, yogurt, occasionally dark chocolate, and apples). I lost weight steadily at about 2 pounds each week. And, when I entered my freshman year of college this september I weighed about 118 pounds. Now, my mom was super proud of me (she's always tried to lose weight but has been inconsistent with it) but told me that I shouldn't lose anymore. I agreed, and I decided to start maintaining. However, I still count calories a little compulsively. I don't do 800 anymore, I'm normally between 1,000-1,300 most days. I find it difficult to eat more than this without trying because I'm generally satisfied with only that amount. Though, with the amount of walking I do at college and added exercise classes my weight has gone down to currently 110. I'm still considered normal weight but my mom is angry and thinks that I have an eating disorder or something. I don't think I do. I eat every few hours so my metabolism stays in check, and I really enjoy eating healthy foods. I let myself have a nice dessert once on the weekends (this past weekend was cheescake, yum) and everyday I give myself something sweet (but small) as well. I guess the whole point of me writing this out is to ask if you think I have a problem? Am I being compulsive with the calories? Could this be a medical issue (I was recently diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia)? Any advice from people who have successfully maintained, which is ultimately what I'm trying to accomplish at the moment?

smiling_sushi

Without knowing your body fat percentage, it's difficult to say what your maintenance level is for calorie intake, but since you are an active 19 year old, I suspect that the 1000-1300 calories you are eating is far too low. Check out this link (http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/) to help you find a starting point for how many calories you should consume (I tried a couple of different body fat percentages with your age, weight, and height, and it appears that, bare minimum, you should be eating 1300-1600 calories a day). I would also see a nutritionist, if possible. They can help you determine a healthy way to maintain your weight. The fact that you used to eat 800 calories a day concerns me a bit, to be honest. It's difficult, if not impossible, to obtain the proper amounts of nutrients when eating so little. Good on you for being proactive about this, though.